Canon mini-DSLR tipped to take on Micro 4/3rds

Canon's head of Image Communication Products, Masaya Maeda, has revealed that Nikon isn't the only company looking at a new high-end compact camera. Speaking as Canon increased their sales forecasts, Maeda confirmed that the company is looking at a new compact camera that could be a mini-DSLR; "It's not a question of whether or not you have a mirror," he told reporters, "there is a consumer need for good-quality cameras to be made smaller."

"We will meet this need" he went on to declare, dismissing doubts that it would be possible in a model that used an internal mirror and pointing to Canon's track record of producing small-frame DSLRs. However he declined to outline any specific details or hardware specifications.

The new Canon camera will go up against micro-four-thirds models such as from Panasonic and Olympus, together with Sony's recent range of NEX interchangeable lens cameras. All of these have bypassed internal mirror designs.